Planning & Reporting Lead (Finance & Supply Management)

UAEN encouraged to apply.

Purpose:

Drive financial and procurement special projects and strategic initiatives aiming to enhance operational efficiency and strategic transformation. Closely collaborate with cross-functional teams, conduct feasibility studies, analyze financial data, and ensure all projects align with the defined strategic objectives and timelines.

Key Responsibilities:

Projects Management

1. Develop comprehensive project plans, including but not limited to scope, objectives, deliverables, and financial resource requirements in line with the defined objectives.
2. Manage special projects ensuring adherence to project specifications, timelines, budgets, milestones, quality standards, and others.
3. Effectively monitor and track project progress, identifying and mitigating potential risks and providing strategic recommendations to ensure successful project outcomes.
4. Coordinate with support services, cross-functional teams, and stakeholders (e.g., Finance, IT, Supply Management) to ensure alignment on financial special and strategic projects and initiatives, defined timelines, and objectives.
5. Develop and adjust action plans to enhance special and strategic projects based on findings and business needs, and manage initiatives, ensuring progress towards defined objectives.
6. Ensure compliance with financial regulations, policies, and internal controls throughout project implementations.
7. Provide support for ad-hoc requests from top management and project stakeholders.

Financial Analysis and Reporting

1. Conduct in-depth financial analysis and feasibility studies for business cases for special & strategic projects and initiatives assigned by top management.
2. Prepare periodic detailed financial reports, presentations, and forecasts highlighting pain points and recommendations for enhancements.
3. Effectively develop and maintain dashboards and/or reports to track critical financial Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
4. Analyze financial data and provide actionable insights, assess the viability of initiatives, and provide recommendations enabling strategic decision-making.
5. Collaborate with relevant departments to develop initiatives that optimize costs without compromising operational effectiveness.
6. Create a detailed cost optimization plan outlining specific initiatives, projected savings, implementation guidelines, and performance tracking mechanisms.
7. Develop actionable plans and strategies to increase revenue streams through different initiatives and sponsorships.
8. Develop cost categories that could be covered by sponsorship revenue as percentages to facilitate transparent and mutually beneficial sponsor agreements.
9. Work closely with relevant departments and stakeholders to execute the recommended strategies and initiatives.

Transformation

1. Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current state of all finance and procurement department processes, mainly focusing on procure-to-pay, order-to-cash, and budgeting.
2. Engage with finance and procurement team members and stakeholders to gather insights and feedback on existing processes, understanding pain points and challenges faced in day-to-day operations.
3. Benchmark current finance and procurement department processes against industry best practices to identify opportunities for adopting more efficient and effective methodologies.
4. Develop and implement transformation strategies for process improvement, automation, and streamlining workflows to increase efficiency and accuracy across support services sector.
5. Develop KPIs to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of the finance department with the enhanced processes.

Shared Activities

1. Ensure effective cascading of the strategy into business plans to ensure vertical alignment and horizontal integration with other interfacing sectional strategies.
2. Lead the identification of opportunities for continuous improvement and sustainability of systems, processes, and practices considering global standards, productivity improvement, and cost reduction.
3. Carry out any other duties and responsibilities related to the role at the request of the direct manager.
4. Manage and ensure effective implementation of functional policies, procedures, and controls covering all areas of assigned section activity so that all relevant procedural/legislative requirements are fulfilled while delivering a quality, cost-effective service.
5. Follow all relevant departmental policies, processes, standard operating procedures, and instructions so that work is carried out in a controlled and consistent manner.
6. Demonstrate compliance with the organization’s values and ethics at all times to support the establishment of a value-driven culture within the organization.
7. Contribute to the identification of opportunities for continuous improvement and sustainability of systems, processes, and practices considering global standards, productivity improvement, and cost reduction.

Qualifications:

1. Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or relevant field. Master’s degree is highly preferred.
2. Certification such as PMP, CPA, CFA, or relevant certifications are preferred.
3. Proven 3-5 years of extensive experience in finance, project management, business analysis, or equivalent.
4. Strong proficiency in MS Office (PowerPoint, Word, and Excel).
5. Strong understanding of financial principles, accounting practices, financial modeling & forecasting, and financial systems.
6. Strong project management methodologies, including the ability to manage and execute complex projects.
7. Excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex financial data and generate actionable insights.
8. Detail-oriented with a commitment to data accuracy and quality.
9. Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills and abilities.
10. Exceptional organizational and time management skills to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
11. Problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities to address project challenges effectively.
12. Strategic thinking and the ability to align projects with organizational goals.
13. Deep understanding of government systems implementation and optimum data capture methodologies.